Blood Bank of Delmarva returned to the U.S. House of Representatives for a blood drive on June 25 and found a bumper crop of young donors ready to roll up their sleeves and do a good deed.
A total of 74 donors presented to donate at the Rayburn House Office Building, translating into 69 units.
In addition to those 69 crucial units during the summertime, nearly all the donors at the blood drive were within the 16 to 34 age range targeted by BBD leadership as critical for growth now and in the future. The young legislative staffers available to donate blood were joined by interns working in Washington, D.C. this summer.
In all, the blood drive was a smashing success that pushed BBD and New York Blood Center Enterprises further into new territory.
“That’s the demographic we want in a highly, densely populated, affluent area,” BBD Account Manager Bryan Shepphard said. “These congressional office buildings are like ant farms with the sheer number of people moving through them.”
This was the second blood drive BBD has held with the U.S. House of Representatives. Last year, BBD held blood drives with the House and U.S. Senate in September, and in August 2022 went to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The blood drive also brought in donors who represented different parts of New York Blood Center Enterprises, including Mia Villavicencio-Eschinger, of Connecticut’s 3rd District; Olivia McAuliffe, of Connecticut’s 4th District; Greta Lindberg, Maya Hsu, and Erin Dailey, of Minnesota’s 3rd District; Allison Hunter, of Rhode Island’s 1st District; Kristen Cianci, of New York’s 2nd District; Rachel DeJean and Abby Hochs, of New York’s 20th District; and Toria Sullivan from New York’s 18th District.
Sullivan came back after donating last year and brought colleagues Claire Reid, Emily Ezratty, and Alyssandra Rosenzwieg with her. (So did DeJean, for that matter.)
“I’m able to, and I thought it would be a nice thing to do to give back to the community,” Ezratty said. “There are people who need it, and it costs me nothing.”
Meanwhile, Hunter donated blood for the first time.
“I just wanted to donate blood,” she said. “My Dad had a blood transfusion…, and I think it’s very important that you give back.”
McAuliffe, a Congressional staffer, recognized that donating blood is a simple way for anybody to help others.
“It takes half an hour out of your day; you can literally save lives,” she said. “Aside from all the hustle and bustle of working here, you can do one thing today for others but also for you. This is really exciting for me; it makes me happy.”
Ian Hart, who works for Congressman John Gerrimady, of California, was inspired by his mom to donate.
“A little voice in my head told me to donate today,” Hart said. “My Mom is O negative, and she donates all the time. I heard there was a blood drive today, and I could just hear her saying, ‘You should donate today!”
Kathleen Marty, of North Carolina’s 7th District, recently saw firsthand why blood donations are important.
“My mom is battling breast cancer right now, and she had to have a blood transfusion this past Friday,” Marty said. “So, I figure I have to give back blood for people who need it.”
Aside from congressional offices, staffers from the Committee on Education and Workforce and the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee also donated, as well as a few donors from the U.S. Senate.
